What many may not know about the scope of wedding planning is that the precious moments following your big day are just as, if not more, important than the ceremony itself. All the excitement and nerves that went into planning finally comes to a halt after the reception, and then you’re left with a lot of unanswered questions revolving around: “What to do now?” Well, what is there to do now that you’re sans an overload of hype, worry, and joy over one of the most important days of your life? Below is a list of things to consider to make sure you don’t fall into those post-wedding blues. Cheers to a happy and healthy marriage from Windwood Equestrian!

Pre-Wedding

• Create a safe zone: It is so easy to get wrapped up in planning and lose the enjoyment that should come along with planning your wedding festivities. Create a buffer area where you can avoid all wedding talk and give your mind some R&R.
• Consider waiting for the honeymoon: By giving yourself a couple of days between wedding and honeymoon, it’ll allow you to collect your thoughts, belongings, and let you talk over any questions and concerns you have with your s/o.
• Talk to your husband/wife: Communication is key. Any and all concerns, words of encouragement, and thoughts need to be constantly shared in a respectful and patient matter. It’s easy to get lost into wedding planning mode.
• Be open to premarital counseling: Even if there is nothing to be concerned about, going from fiance to wife/husband is a huge leap. Premarital counseling will allow you to address any concerns or unanswered questions as well as establish a more open relationship.
• Plan ahead: Plan for E V E R Y T H I N G, good and bad, to occur before, during, and after the wedding. This’ll allow both of you to be prepared for any situation to occur and handle it accordingly.

Post-Wedding

• RELAX: You guys deserve it! Give yourself ample time to take in the previous day’s events and bask in the mood of being of newlyweds
• Check your social media and wedding hashtag: Check out all of the amazing moments that might not have been captured by your photographer and to remember who all came to celebrate you and your partner.
• Receive your marriage license and change your name: Make it official by picking up your wedding license, as well as changing your last name (but only if you want to)!
• Write thank-you notes and reviews: Write thank-you notes to friends, families, and vendors to let them know how much you appreciated their assistance, services, and love. Don’t forget to write reviews for your vendors either! Reviews are very important because it allows businesses to get the attention they do or do not deserve as well as helping out future couples to choose who they want to spend their special day with
• Close out your registry: This way you’ll know what you did and did not receive, and from there, you can purchase any gifts you still want, return/exchange any unwanted gifts, and return any items you bought for the wedding and didn’t use.
• Talk to your photographer: Converse with your photographer on how you would like your wedding album to look and also how you will share your images with your guests.
• Figure out finances: Money is very important, and, unfortunately, it can cause a disgruntled mood if not handled appropriately. Make sure you guys’ financial situation is an open and respectful conversation.
• Recognize that your wedding isn’t the same as your marriage: Your wedding should be easy, fun, and joy-filled, but what many newlyweds forget is that the feelings you get on your wedding day are only a percentage of what marriage is really like. Now, I’m not saying marriage can’t be easy or fun or joy-filled, but it also has so many different layers of emotions that follow that will evolve over time.
• Make everyday events exciting and important: You looked forward to your big day for SO long and it’s finally over. All of the overwhelming emotions are gone, and, quite frankly, you are unsure of how to feel. That’s why it’s so important to embrace all of the small moments and not set your sights on only impactful experiences. Enjoying the little things to keep your marriage satisfied, content, and healthy.
• Redefine your relationship with your family: Going from being dependent on your family, to, possibly, being an independent individual, to a co-partnership with your spouse are all defining moments in life. Keep an open conversation with your family, agree to disagree, and compromise traditions you would like to take on individually with your s/o.
• Look to your new spouse: In times of need, overwhelming emotions (good or bad), or just to appreciate on another. One of the biggest mistakes in marriage is not allowing yourself the luxury to depend on your spouse for certain situations. This can cause miscommunication, distrust, and confusion, and when you’re newlyweds there’s little room for mistake without overreacting since emotions are still running high from your big day.
• Find a new goal to look forward to: And enjoy every moment in between! Set goals to look forward to with your love while also being content in the in between.